Students from all secondary schools in Enniskillen held a poignant guard of honour this afternoon at the funeral of former teacher Tom Noble.

Many of the schoolchildren held oars in one final tribute to the much loved rowing coach and former principal of Erne Integrated College who died last Saturday at the age of 68.

Mr. Noble’s son Gareth paid tribute to the husband, father, Grandfather, father in law, brother, uncle, friend, colleague, mentor, teacher, confidante, sports coach, life coach, fixer, adviser, campaigner and peace builder.

“As Seamus Heaney once wrote, sometimes there is neither rhyme nor reason to events or things that happen. We will in time rejoice in the happy memories but we are still in that survival mode.

“We feel robbed that he is gone at just 68. But whilst we have to let Daddy go, we will never let his values, his principles, his ideas, his dreams, his vision go. That would be to fail him and all that he stood for,” he told mourners, during the service at Ballycassidy Funeral Home.

Full report in next week’s Impartial Reporter.